When you’ve got a series, you’re in the fortunate position of being able to explore a variety of storylines and characters, all leading to a satisfying conclusion. It may be convenient to write your book as a series of segments, but that comes with a pitfall: you need to decide in advance what the climax of each book is going to be. Otherwise, you’ll be forced to rush the ending or stretch it out over several volumes.
Here, we examine the different types of books you might write as a series, their pros and cons, and how to write a book series that doesn’t suffer from story assembly issues.
Fiction Book Series
A fiction book series presents several challenges, the most prominent of which is making sure that every story is of high quality. If you’re anything like me, you might be inclined to bash your way through a couple of drafts before hitting on the final version. This is certainly acceptable if you’re writing short stories or novellas, but it’s not desirable when you’re writing a novel. Even if you’re using a beta reader to polish your work, the risk of typos and other errors still exist. Additionally, there’s always the fear that you’ll run out of things to say, so you’re forced to rush the ending or spread it over several books. That’s no good. An extended ending or a short book in the series isn’t the same as a standalone novel; it weakens the impact of the other stories.
On the other hand, a well-executed fiction book series can work to your advantage. If you get lucky, you might be able to write the perfect novel, free of any typos, errors, or other issues. All you need is a talented editor to help you tighten it up and give it that polished sheen. In that case, the editing process becomes more like rewriting than line-editing. You’re essentially letting the editor guide you as you write. It’s an effective collaborative process that can lead to excellent results.
Non-Fiction Book Series
A non-fiction book series has you covered when it comes to the type of content and the length of the books. For starters, non-fiction book series are generally longer than their fiction counterparts. This gives you more room to maneuver, as you don’t need to rush things as much, or at all. The books can be more leisurely paced, as you’re not concerned with character development or story arcs, simply with presenting the facts.
Additionally, non-fiction book series are almost always released in sets of three, or in multi-book bundles, as individual books can be quite hefty. These sets of three or multi-book bundles allow for a bit more flexibilities in terms of writing styles and subject matters. Perhaps the biggest advantage of a non-fiction book series is the freedom to write about almost any topic you desire.
E-book Series
An e-book series is the ultimate in terms of flexibility and portability; all you need is a device and an Internet connection to read a book. This makes them ideal for a frequent traveler, or anyone who wants to keep the books on their phones or tablets for ease of reading. The downside? E-books don’t integrate with the rest of your library; it’s completely separate. You can’t loan them to friends or family without fearing they’ll get lost or damaged. Unless you have a dedicated e-reader or tablet, loading and storing individual books can become cumbersome.
Ultimately, the decision to write a book series comes down to what works best for you. If you have an idea for a series but aren’t sure where to start, take a look at our comprehensive guide, which contains all the information you need, from idea to execution, to help you launch and grow your career as a writer.